CDLI Literary 000674, ex. 001 (P346152)

Literary tablet excavated in Ur (mod. Tell Muqayyar), dated to the Old Babylonian (ca. 1900-1600 BC) period and now kept in British Museum, London, UK

Image © The Trustees of the British Museum (CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0)

Transliteration

tablet
obverse
1. dumu nun-e#? |ABxA| ku3-ta e3#?-a ba-zal-zal si NI#? [...]
 en: Princely son, emerged from the pure ..., spending time(?), ... his(?) horn ...
2. kur me sikil esz3 abzu sza3 x [...] x dagal kur# me#? [...]
 en: The mountain of the pure me, shrine Abzu, broad ..., mountain of the ... cosmic powers
3. ki-ur3 mah x [...] x la [...]
 en: The supreme foundation ...
4. SUG-ta me-lam2# husz#?-a#-zu#? musz3# im#?-[...]-ge-en
 en: Your reddish aura ... from/in the marshland/throne(?)
5. nam-du10-zu-sze3 nam-gal nam-mah-zu-sze3! sag im-ma#-il2#-la2
 en: (You are) the one whose(?) head is raised on behalf of your goodness as well as your greatness and supremacy
6. nam tar#-re-de3-esz a2 mah mi-ni-in-su13-un
 en: You sail/run/spread out supremely(?) in order to(?) determine fate
7. nam-lugal an-ki-zu an gal-e szu dagal mu-ri-in-du11
 en: Great An broadly put your kingship of the universe at your disposition
8. nam-dumu-nun gal-zu {d}en-lil2-le nam-men szu mi-ri-in-du7
 en: (As for?) you great status as princely son, Enlil has perfected your lordship(?)
9. nam-dingir mah {d}en-lil2 pa e3 ma-ra-ni-in-e3
 en: Enlil has made (your) supreme divinity manifest
10. 1(u) a-ra2-a a sig mah-zu-sze3! nam tar-re ki du10 ama du10
 en: The determination of fate on behalf of the way (i.e. flow?) of(?) your supreme cold water(?), the sweet earth, the sweet mother(?)
  with line tally 10
11. {d}en-ki |ABxA| sza3 ku3-ta giri3-zu-sze3! im-mi-in-gar
 en: Enki at the inner(?) ... has set at your feet
12. {d}en-lil2 nam-mah nam-en-na mi-ni-in-tu-de3-en
 en: Enlil engendered you into (a role of) supremacy and lordship
13. {d}nanna u4-sakar-zu u4-sakar imin-bi mu pa3-da
 en: Nanna, your crescent is invoked by the name “the seven crescents"(?)
14. {d}en-lil2 an-ki-ka mu-zu ku3-ga mu mi-ri-in-pa3
 en: Enlil uttered your name, which is holy, for you in the universe
15. dumu nun-e nam-gal-zu an-ki-a pa e3 im-mi-in-e3
 en: Princely son, he made your greatness manifest in the universe
16. ukkin mah nam-{d}en-lil2-la2-na sag-e-esz mu-ra-an-rig7
 en: The supreme assembly has bestowed upon you his Enlil-ship
17. {d}en-ki!-ke4 du6? eridu{ki}-ta nam-men nam-mah-zu mu-ri-in-tar
 en: Enki at the mound(?) of Eridu determined your lordship and supremacy for you
18. abzu mah du6? esz3 eridu#{ki#}-ta nam-en gal-zu-sze3
 en: At the supreme Abzu, the mound(?) of shrine Eridu, on behalf of your great lordship
19. lugal an-ki-ke4 x x DAR-a nam-gal-zu-sze3 ba-an-du11
 en: The king of the universe, ..., spoke on account of your greatness
20. 1(u) {d}nanna sag-zu!? il2# {d}a-nun#-na#-ke4-ne-er# ha-la ba-an-pa3
 en: Nanna, he has selected as (your) share your(?) exaltedness among the Anuna gods
  with line tally 10
21. me sikil sza3 hul2-la-ka-ne-ne ki#!?-tusz ku3#? im-mi-ni-in-tusz-un
 en: He seated you/made you dwell (in?) the holy dwelling(!?) among(?) their heart-gladdening(?) pure cosmic powers
22. dingir gal-gal-e-ne nindaba#-esz ba#-an-pa3
 en: He has chosen the great gods for nindaba offerings
23. za3-gu-la2 sza3 hi-li mah#? si-a [...]-in-durun-usz
 en: They sat in the family shrine(?), (its) midst filled with supreme allure
24. dingir-re-e-ne siskur2 sza3 hul2-la-ne#?-[... im]-mi#-ni-in-szum2-szum2
 en: He has given the gods heart-gladdening siskur offering/ritual there
25. ki-mah ki ku3-ga mi-ni-in-[tusz]-un#
 en: He sat you in the supreme place, a pure place
26. {d}nanna ki ku3-ga ki-tusz ku3 mi-ni-in-tusz#?-un#?
 en: He sat(!?) you in the supreme place, a pure place
27. {d}en-ki-ke4 ki-tusz ma-ra-ab-sikil#-e# ki#? x ma#?-ra#-ab-szen-e
 en: Enki purifies the dwelling, he sanctifies the ... place(?)
28. an mu-ra-ab-ku3-ge ki mu-ra#-ab#?-szen#?-[...]
 en: He purifies heaven for you, he sanctifies earth for you
29. e2-kisz-nu-gal2 e2 tir {gesz}erin-na# x x x-an#?-x
 en: The Ekišnugal temple, the temple that is a forest of cedar trees, ...
30. [1(u)] bara2# mah-zu ki ku3-ga ma-ra-ab-ak izi#?-gar#? an-ki-a
 en: He prepares your supreme dais (in?) a pure place for you, it is(?) the torch(?) of the universe
  with line tally 10
31. gesz#-hur szu-luh mah-zu si# ma#-ra#-x-sa2-e#
 en: He properly executes your supreme plans and cleansing ritual for you
reverse
1. du6-mah unu2#? x-zu? banszur ki#? ku3-ga# ma-ra-ab-szen
 en: He purifies the Dumah, your ... dining hall (and?) the table of(?) the pure place for you
2. kin2-nim-za kin2#-sig-ga kin2-sig kin2-nim-zu
 en: In you morning meal, in the afternoon meal, your afternoon and morning meal(!?)
3. gu2!? nidba#?-x si ma-ra-an-sa2
 en: He has set the loads of(?) nindaba offerings in order for you
4. e2 szu-luh-ha# ma#-ra#-ab-ku3-ug ma-ra-ab-szen
 en: He purifies and sanctifies the temple of(?) the cleansing rites(?) for you
5. e2-e sa-kesz2#?-DU sa x GAB? x x KA x ba-an-szum2?
 en: ...
6. nam#-nun-x mi-ni-in-pa3
 en: ... chose/named ... there
7. {d}en-ki abzu-ni u3-tu szu#!-luh mu-ra-an#-ga2-ga2#!
 en: Enki, the engenderer of his Abzu(?), sets up/initiates the cleansing ritual for you there
8. {d}ku3-su13-e szu-luh-ha ba-ni-gub e2 ni2-bi u3-tu
 en: Kusu has served in conjunction with(?) the cleansing ritual, in(?) the temple fashioned by itself
9. 1(u) |ABxA| sza3 bar-ba gir4 gu4 udu ninda esz3 bar-ba szu-luh ku3-ga
 en: At the outside of the inner ... the oven (for) bulls, sheep, and bread(?) at the outside of the shrine, (with?) the holy cleansing ritual
  with line tally 10
10. e2-e i3-im-sikil-e sag ba-ab-ha-za a2-szu-giri3 ba-an-durun-usz
 en: In the temple he purifies, he(?) has been ready(?), (his) limbs sit (idle?)
11. szu-luh-ha ku3 nu-szub-bu-sze3 sug mah
 en: In order that the holy cleansing ritual is not abandoned, (from) the supreme marsh
12. |ABxA| dagal ku3-ga-ta nam-bi im-ta-e3
 en: From the broad and pure ..., its fate emerges
13. e2-kisz-nu-gal2 bara2 mah ku3-ga me gal mah an-ki-a szu du7
 en: The Ekišnugal temple, supreme and holy dais, equipped with the great and supreme me of the universe
14. |ABxA| ku3-ta pesz10 mah a tu5-a-zu
 en: When you wash at the holy ..., (on?) the supreme bank
15. i3 hur-sag su ku3-ga gal2-la-zu
 en: When you put (i.e., apply?) oil of the mountains (on your) pure body
16. {d}nanna bara2 mah-zu dur2#? gar-ra
 en: Nanna, (when) you sit on your supreme dais
17. gada-mah aga sag il2 si mul suh-gir11 nam-men-na
 en: The gadamah garment, the exalted crown (with) shining horns, the pectoral of lordship
18. i3 ku3 i3 sikil i3 dadag-ge
 en: Pure oil, holy oil, sanctified oil
  located on left edge
19. i3 mah i3 nam-men i3 ukkin gal-zu su-bar ku3-ga-ka
 en: The supreme oil, the oil of lordship/en priesthood, the oil of the great assembly, it is of (i.e., on?) the holy body
20. 1(u) kar za-gin3 kar mah kar ku3-ga-na
 en: In his blue quay, his supreme quay, his pure quay
  with line tally 10
21. {d}nin-gublaga-ke4 en szu im-ma-an-ku3-ga
 en: Ningublaga, the lord who has purified the hands
22. {d}en-ki abzu eridu{ki}-ta szu-bi i3-im-sikil-e
 en: (And?) Enki purify the hands in the Abzu of Eridu
23. u2-a-zu banszur unu2 ki-gal-zu-sze3 szu ku3 ga2-ga2-zu-sze3
 en: In order that you set pure hands(?) towards(?) your food and drink(?) (upon?) the table (of?) your dining hall (on?) the platform
24. {d}ku3-su3-e szu sikil szu dadag ak szu im-ma-an-ku3-ge
 en: Kusu, the one who(?) purifies hand and sanctifies hands, will purify the hands
25. {d}en-ki abzu eridu{ki}-ta szu-bi i3-im-sikil-e
 en: Enki purifies the hands in the Abzu of Eridu
26. esz3 abzu bara2 mah uri2{ki}-ma nam du10 gal tar-re
 en: Determining a good and great destiny (for both?) shrine Abzu and the supreme throne of Ur
27. e2#-kisz#-nu-gal2 ki-tusz ku3 du10-ga-am3 {d}nin-gal eresz! mah-bi
 en: The Ekišnugal temple is a pure and good dwelling, (and) Ningal is its supreme queen
28. x x ku3 ki nam-eresz-za {d}nanna lugal-bi-ir
 en: The holy ... is a pure place of your queenship for Nanna the king
29. e2-kisz#-nu#-gal2 agrun ku3-ga e2 nam-lugal-zu
 en: The Ekišnugal temple, the pure cella, the temple of your kingship
30. {d}nanna {d#}nin-gal ki-tusz mi-ni-ib2-hul2
 en: Nanna and Ningal have rejoiced (in) the dwelling
  with line tally 10
31. {d}suen#?-[e] en# zu mah an-ki aga-zu aga mah-am3
 en: Suen, supreme knowing lord of the universe, your crown is a supreme crown
32. me-lam2 husz# an-ki#-a ri#?-a# x [{d}]dil#?-im2-babbar szu#? he2-en-na-ku3-ge
 en: Casting(?) a red/furious aura throughout the universe, ... Dilimbabbar, thus the hands(?) are pure for him
33. an-gin7 he2-en-na-ku3-ge# [ki]-gin7# he2-en-na-szen-e
 en: Thus they are pure like heaven for him, thus they are sanctified like earth for him
34. sza3# an#?-na#?-gin7 [he2]-en-na-dadag-ge
 en: Thus they are clean for him like the midst of heaven(?)
35. x [...] an-ki-a aga!? ku3 sag# [he2]-em-ma-il2-e
 en: Thus ... in/of the universe raises (his) head (with) a pure crown
36. [{d}]suen#-e en zu mah! an#-ki# bara2 sikil-la szu du7!
 en: Suen, supreme knowing lord of the universe, ideally suited for the pure dais
37. [{d}]x-DU-babbar-e sag-men aga# zi-da si mul mah x x
 en: Dilimbabbar(?), the crown, ... the true crown (with) supreme shining horns,
38. sag#! im-ma-il2-e# [...]
 en: Raises (his head)